Dual valve unit



l NOV 14, 1950 I W. E. sNowDEN ET Al. 2,529,852

DUAL VALVE UNIT Filed April 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 14, 1950 W E SNOWDEN Er AL 2,529,852

DUAL VALVE UNIT Filed April s. `1945 sheets-sheet 2 F/o 2 Q j! E. il

I /ff 5 3 Patented Nov. 14, 195()` DUAL VALVE UNIT Ward E. Snowden and Harvey F. Raynor, Mo-

desto, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Ward E. Snowden, Modesto, Calif.

Application April 3, 1945, Serial N o. 586,317

This invention relates in general to i-lre iightng equipment and in particular the invention is directed to an improved nozzle unit for the discharge of fire fighting substances.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fire fighting nozzle unit which includes a pair of separate nozzles; said unit being adapted to be connected to separate hoses feeding water and a dry chemical re extinguishing agent under pressure, and there being manually controlled valves in the unit operative to open the water hose to one nozzle and the dry chemical hose to the other nozzle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dual nozzle unit, as in the preceding paragraph, in which said valves are arranged for easy onehand control by the operator, and so that said valves may be opened selectively, or one at a time.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a dual nozzle unit comprising in combination with a body having a pair of separate, parallel passages therethrough from back to front, a valve interposed in each passage, f1ttings at the rear end of the passages adapted for hose connection, and nozzles at the front end of the passages; each valve including an upstanding control lever, and said levers being arranged for easy one-hand actuation.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is a side elevation of the dual nozzle unit as coupled to a water and a dry chemical hose.

Figure 21 is a sectional elevation of the dual nozzle unit detached from the hoses, and with the nozzles removed.

Figure 3 is a front end view of the dual nozzle unit.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of one of the nozzles, detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 claim. (c1. ,evi-59) is flat sided and relatively thin from 'side to side.` The body is formed with a pair of vertically spaced passages, indicated at 2 and 3, which extend in substantially parallel relation through the body from the Arear to the front thereof.

At the rear end the passages 2 and 3 are provided with fittings 4 and 5 adapted to be connected with hoses 6 and 'I by means of complementary couplings 8 and 9, respectively. The hose 6 carries water under pressure, while the hose 'l carries a dry chemical re fighting agent in powder form in a stream of high pressure gas, such as nitrogen.

At the front end the passages 2 and 3 are formed with enlarged, forwardly opening sockets I!! and II, each having a gasket I2 in the bottom thereof. A pair of initially separate nozzles I3 and I4 are each formed at the rear end with a cylindrical neck I5 having a stop collar I6 at the front end thereof. The necks I5 re# movably seat in the corresponding ones of sockets Ill and II', and abut against the gaskets I2.

Each neck I5 is formed intermediate its ends with a radial pin which engages in a bayonet slot I8 opening into the corresponding onevof sockets I0 or II from the front of the body, whereby the nozzles I3 and I4 are quick connectedv with said body. Spring pressed latch ngers I9 pivoted as at 20 in extensions of the locking channels of the bayonet slots I8, normally abut against the pins Il and prevent removal of the nozzles I3 and I4 from the body. However the latch lingers are accessible, as at 2|, for manual depression whereby to clear the p-ins I1 and permit of easy removal of the nozzles. As the nozzles I3 and I4 are removable, different types of nozzles are usable with the dual valve unit, as for example, fog nozzles, overshot nozzles, etc.

Within the body I, the passages 3 and 4 are intersected by rotary plug valves indicated at 22 and 23 respectively; such valves running in matching cross bores 24 closed at one end by removable end plates 25 which permit of ready assembly or removal of the valves. The valve passages of valves 22 and 23 are shown at 26.

The valves 22 and 23 are formed with axial stub shafts 21 and 28 respectively which project through oppositesides of the body; the shaft 21 having an upstanding radial lever arm 29 thereon, while shaft 28 is Vfitted with an upstanding radial lever arm 30. The lever arms 29 and 30 project upwardly to upper end terminations sub- I indicates the body of the unit, and which body stantially equi-distant above the body when said 3 lever arms are in corresponding on or olf positions as hereinafter described. At the upper end thereof each lever arm includes a laterally inwardly projecting nger piece 3l.

When the lever arms 29 and 30 are in upwardly and rearwardly inclined position, the valves are closed but when in upwardly Vand forwardly inclined position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the valves are open. Movement of the lever arms beyond open or closed positions is limited by suitable stops 32 on the sides of the body I.

When coupled to hoses 6 and I, the above described valve unit is operative to discharge water and a dry chemical from nozzles I3 and I4 respectively. By proper manipulation of the lever arms 29 and 30, water or dry chemical alone may be discharged from the corresponding nozzle, or both of these fire ghtingagents may be used simultaneously, as conditions may require.

By reason of the proximity of the lever arms 29"l and 39', and particularly the finger pieces 3| thereon, the valves can be controlled by one hand.

Additionally, as the body IY of the nozzle unit is relatively thin from side tol side, and as the aforesaid lever arms 29 and 39 are at in adjacentY facing relation to the sides of such body, the nozzle unitv can be held in hand and manipulated with greater convenience than otherwise. The arrangement also positions the at lever arms 29' and 30 edgewise in the direction of manipulation thereof, reducing the likelihood of 'bending or twisting of said arms.

With respect to the quick connected or detachable nozzles I3 and" I4, another advantageous feature of the invention is the fact that the accessible portion 2| of each latch ringer I9 is movable or depressible only laterally of the body to permit of quick detachment of the corresponding nozzle. This greatly minimizes accidental release of either of the latch fingers I 9 when the nozzleunit is in use, as inadvertent lateral depression of said latch fingers is unlikely as compared to longitudinal motion, for example.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a devi'ce as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention' as set forth herein. j

' While this Vspecification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail maybe resorted toas do not form a departure from the spirit lof the invention, as defined by the `appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired.

A dual nozzle unit, for iire fighting, comprising an upstanding, transversely relatively thin body having opposed hat side faces in substantially parallel relation, the body being formed with a pair of longitudinal passages therethrough one above the other, means for connecting inlet and outlet fittings with each of said passages, a valve in each passage, each valve being rotatable about its respective axis, which axis extends transversely of the body in the direction of the thin dimension of said body, an axial stub shaft on eachV valve, one stub shaft projecting through one flat side face of the body, and the other stub shaft projecting through the opposite nat side face of the body, an upstanding lever arm on each stub shaft, such lever1 arms being of predetermined dierential length, at and extending upwardly from the stub shafts in close face to face relation with respect to the adjacent side faces of the body, projecting to upper end terminations substantially equi-distant above said body when said lever arms are in predetermined corresponding working positions, and iingerA pieces on the upper ends of said flat lever arms projecting toward each other for separate or simultaneous engagement by one hand.

WARD E. SNOWDEN. HARVEY F. RAYNOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,220 Jones Aug. 1, 1905 1,236,297 Hansen Aug. 7, 1917 1,362,228 Cleveland Dec. 14, 1920 1,419,948 Sellars June 20, 1922 1,617,166 Schoop Feb. 8, 1927 1,686,003 Hottinger Oct. 2, 1928 1,746,609 Schellin Feb. 11, 1930 2,072,555 Hengesbach Mar. 2, 1937 2,143,817 Longdin et al. June 10, 1939 2,231,858 Domina, Jr. Feb. 11, 1941 2,268,407 Krone et al Dec. 30, 1941 2,323,859 Wheatley July 6, 1943 2,326,796 Panish Aug. 17, 1943 Y2,342,050 Hurst Feb. 15, 1944 2,387,935 Myers Oct. 30, 1945 

